It seems like all the crazies have waaaay too many kids...

Woman Accused of Killing Neighbors' Pets

(Nov. 8) - A 43-year-old New York woman was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and murdering her neighbors' pets with the help of her children, PIX News reported Saturday.

Sharon McDonough was charged with animal cruelty after authorities excavated the carcasses of at least 20 animals from the backyard of her Long Island home.

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Neighbors said McDonough lives in the residence with her seven children, who range in age from 18 months to 21 years old. According to sources, McDonough had her children hold down the pets as she tortured them.

Authorities went to her home after neighbors complained about the conditions of animals there. An official with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told Newsday.com that five dogs were found in the home, locked in small cages with no food or water.

Blackface shows up so frequently these days, you'd think it's become a contemptible fad. Recently, this Jim Crow relic has been spotted in cartoons on high fashion pages, 'Mad Men' and 'Tyra.' Who can keep track?

So is it any wonder that two white Northwestern University student athletes would jump at the chance to hop on this trend by donning blackface as Halloween costumes? Click here to see photos.

One of the students involved in the incident reportedly dressed as Bob Marley, painting his entire body black and wearing a shirt with the word "Jamaica." The second student dressed as a black woman with a tennis racket.

Both are believed to be student-athletes, according to the Daily Northwestern. Student reactions have been mixed, with some suggesting the campus culture allows insensitivity because of the low-minority population. Source: Northwestern Blackface Costumes Inspire Protest - NBC Chicago

What were these crazy kids thinking? Or not thinking? Who knows. But I see a big double standard here. Celebrities seem to get away with offensive behavior, while the regular Joes get the "racial insensitivity" hammer dropped right on their head. I'm not defending ignorance, but I think your proximity to celebrity shouldn't get you a pass on proper behavior.

And while I'm on this subject, is it just here in Los Angeles or did you notice more white folks than usual sporting huge Afro wigs on Halloween night? At first I was a little peeved, then just confused. I don't understand it. I'd be cool if white women (and men) chose to adorn themselves in Afros as a preferred style in everyday life, much like many black women wear straight wigs or weaves. What does it mean, though, to adorn hair mimicking my natural texture as a "hilarious" costume?

After all, I can say without hesitation that I have never, ever, considered leaving the house looking like an escapee from the cast of the Wayans' 'White Chicks.' Can't see it.

But if I did don a blond wig, paint my skin white, call myself Becky and repeat stereotypical Valley girl phrases such as "omigawd" or "that is sooo awwwsumm" how would white people I passed on the street respond?

And if they were offended, should I feel entitled to tell them to just "lighten up" or "get a sense of humor"?

what has the world come to?

Preview Your Plastic Surgery With iSurgeon

BY CALEB JOHNSON — NOV 3RD 2009 AT 3:45PM

Thinking about a nip here, or a tuck there? If you're not certain that a face lift or lipo is right for you, you might want to test the waters with an iPhoneapplication. According to Reuters, two plastic surgery apps, both aiming to inform surgical candidates about different procedures, have been released in the past month.

The first, the Shafer Plastic Surgery App, was launched in October. It hosts a database of more than 1,000 questions and answers that people interested in surgery might ask. If you choose to pay $2.99 for the full version, you can also send the creator, Dr. David Shafer, direct questions about procedures. The second, iSurgeon, is a little creepier. This app, free to download this month, alters photos according to the plastic surgery procedure you select. For example, if you'd like to know what that breast enhancement would look like, simply snap a pic of yourself, select that procedure on the app, and bam. The digital version appears right before your eyes. Creepily easy, sure, but if just one less person ends up looking like Michael Jackson, these apps are successes in our minds. [From: Reuters, via DVICE]

The elephant birds, which were giant ratites native to Madagascar, have been extinct since at least the 17th century. Étienne de Flacourt, a French governor of Madagascar in the 1640s and 1650s, recorded frequent sightings of elephant birds. It is often believed that the extinction of the Aepyornis was an effect of human activity.

Desiree Jennings: A Flu Shot Gone Wrong

Courtesy of Desiree Jennings

By Mary Kearl

You may have heard news reports about 25-year-old Desiree Jennings, the girl with the severe reaction to the seasonal flu shot. Her symptoms -- the inability to walk forward, but the ability to run forward and walk backwards -- even appeared as Google Trends, with searches related to her condition. Some believed it was all just a hoax. Her story is garnering celebrity attention, too -- Generation Rescue, the organization founded by Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy to raise awareness about health and safety issues related to vaccines -- has reached out to support Jennings.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises against getting a flu shot if you've ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu shot. Additionally, if you have a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome -- a condition which includes symptoms of fever, nerve damage and muscle weakness -- that occurred after receiving influenza vaccine, you shouldn't get the seasonal flu shot. The risk of "serious harm" or death from a flu shot, the CDC's Web site explains, "is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it."

Jennings, a Northern Virginian and AOL Employee (Full disclosure: This reporter and Desiree Jennings have never worked together before this interview.), who was healthy, training for a half marathon and a Washington Redskins Ambassador preparing to become a cheerleader, never suspected the health complications she is living with now. She is suffering from acute, viral post immunization encephalopathy and mercury toxicity with secondary respiratory and neurological deficits, which she believes is the direct result of the seasonal vaccination she received from her local grocery store chain in August 2009.

Initial reports and diagnoses indicated Jennings had dystonia, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that are sometimes painful. But, as of the most recent interview, Jennings's treating physician believes she has acute, viral post immmunization encephalopathy, or a disease of the brain that alters brain function or structure and can include memory loss and personality changes.

In an interview with AOL Health, Jennings, she explains her diagnosis and how her life is forever changed. Watch the video below to hear Jennings talk about her condition.

Monologue Video